Former Greenville police chief pleads no contest to health care fraud

STANTON — The former director of the Greenville Department of Public Safety entered a no-contest plea to health care fraud charges on Thursday.

Mark Reiss, 51, of Greenville, and his ex-wife Christine Reiss, 47, of Grand Haven, were both charged with the maximum four-year felony.

Authorities say the former police chief left his wife on his health insurance plan with the city of Greenville even after the couple divorced in 2014. The amount of fraud is alleged to be between $113,000 and $130,000.

Earlier this month, a Kent County Circuit Court jury found Christine Reiss guilty of false claim, concealing information and false statement. She was found not guilty on seven additional false claim charges.

Mark Reiss was scheduled to go to trial June 6.

A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but it is treated as one for sentencing purposes.

A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled for him and there is no sentencing agreement. However, Reiss will not be sentenced until after his former wife completes hers, because they have two children together. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 22.

Mark Reiss worked for the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety for 21 years until he was named chief of police in Riverside, Ohio, in 2008. He was hired for the Greenville post in 2013, but resigned this past February after the allegations.

The Daily News says the city of Greenville has not yet filled the position.